A severe cold wave is intensifying across Northwest India, with weather officials issuing stark warnings about plummeting temperatures and hazardous "very dense" fog that has drastically reduced visibility in major transit hubs. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted these bone-chilling conditions will persist until at least January 10.
IMD Alerts and Forecast for the Coming Days
The IMD issued a series of alerts on Monday, January 6, detailing the severe weather pattern. The region is currently under the influence of a combination of a western disturbance and shifting wind patterns. This system is bringing snowfall to the highlands and enforcing a sharp "cold day" status across the plains.
Forecasts indicate that beginning Tuesday, a western disturbance will trigger light to moderate rainfall and snowfall across Himachal Pradesh. Simultaneously, "cold wave" conditions are expected to settle over Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh through January 9. Meteorologists anticipate a sustained freeze over the next 96 hours, even in areas where temperatures are currently near seasonal norms.
Visibility Plummets and Temperatures Take a Nosedive
Thick fog has enveloped Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, severely disrupting life and travel. During the early morning hours, visibility dropped to a mere 100 meters in key locations like Sundernagar and Bathinda. The IMD expects these conditions to intensify, forecasting dense to very dense fog for Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Himachal Pradesh.
The mercury has already dipped significantly below seasonal averages. The IMD predicts a gradual fall of 2 to 3 degrees Celsius in minimum temperatures across Northwest India over the next four days. In the 24 hours leading into Monday morning, Punjab's average minimum temperature fell by 1.8°C, with the sharpest drops recorded in Faridkot and Mansa, where temperatures plunged by a staggering 5.3°C in a single day.
Regional Temperature Breakdown
Here is a look at the recorded minimum temperatures across the affected states:
- Himachal Pradesh: Recorded minimums between 0°C and 5°C with isolated snowfall.
- Punjab: Average minimum range was 5°C to 10°C. The lowest temperature was 4.5°C in Bathinda and Faridkot.
- Haryana: Average minimum range was also 5°C to 10°C. The lowest temperature was 3.0°C in Narnaul.
Residents are advised to take necessary precautions against the cold, limit early morning travel due to near-zero visibility, and stay updated with the latest IMD warnings. The combination of dense fog and sharply falling temperatures poses significant risks to health and transportation across the region.
